Trap-nest.



S. L. DENNEY.

TRAP NEST.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 5. 1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- PE Elmo 1m S.L.DENNEY s. L. DENNEY. TRAP NEST.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5.1915.

1, llfifil 91 Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- hil SA'MUEL L. DENNEY, (313 LINCQLN UNIi/"ERSITY, l-EiSl'NSYLVANIl-L.

TRAP-NES Application filed May 5, 1915.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. Denney, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln University, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trap-Nests, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in trap nests; and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character having novel and improved means whereby a hen is automatically locked within the nest and is confined within the nest until released through the medium of mechanism controlled by an egg dropping from said nest.

Furthermore, it is an object of my invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character inclueing a movable floor operatively engaged with the closure member for the entrance opening for the nest whereby said closure memher is adjusted into closed position upon movement oi the floor together with means whereby said floor is automatically locked against movei'nent in an opposite direction.

The invention also has for an object to provide a device of this general charac ter including novel and improved means whereby the floor is released from the influence of the automatic holding means by the hen as she leaves the nest.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character including a rotatably supported receptacle adapted to receive the eggs as dropped from the nest and adapted to be intermittently rotated by the movable floor.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved trap nest whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advanta geous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the appended claims In order that my invention may be the better understood, 1 Will now proceed to de- Speeifieation ofletters Patent.

Patented lilec. 28, 1915.

Serial No, 26,038.

scribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of a trap nest constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of my present invention opposite to that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrow; Fig. i is a sectional view taken substantially on the line --i of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the exit end of the nest illustrating in detail the means for locking the movable floor in its position assumed under the influence of the weight of the hen; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at substantially the transverse center of the movable floor.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes a base plate oi predetermined configuration but herein disclosed as substantially rectangular in form and having projecting upwardly therefrom adjacent the corners thereof the uprights or posts 2, the uprights at the entrance end of the device being of a greater height than the uprights at the exit end in order to permit the use of the roosting board 3 at the entrance end of the nest so that the hen may enter by a jump.

The longitudinally related posts 2 are connected by the beams 42 arranged in parallelism with the base plate 1 while the posts or uprights at the exit end of the nest are connected by the transverse beam 5 dis posed in the same horizontal plane as occupied by the beams 4-.

Mounted for rocking movement about a horizontal axis and at a point intermediate its length is the movable floor 6 snugly fitting bctween the roosting board 2 and the longitudinal and transverse beams d and 5, with the rotating axis positioned in close proximity to the roosting board 3. The exit end of the floor 6 is normally maintained elevated by the coil pring 7 surrounding the hey 8 threaded thrmlgh one of the posts 2 at the entrance end of the nest and disposed transvcrsely oi" the device, one extremity of said spring being operatively engaged, as at 9, with the under surface of the floor 6 ad acent its entrance end while the oppos1te extremity oi the spring is secured, as indicated at 10, to the key. It vvlll be readily axial rotation t the hev 8 the tension of the '26 tor the exit end of the nest, 'beinginovable about the horizontal axis 24 adjacent its upper extremity it perceived that upon iinnar' ing the requ spring 7 may be .egulated as desired.

The sides of the device above the beams 4 are closed by the ilDPClfOl'fitG Walls 11 and the top of the devic is closed by the imperforate member he entrance end of the device above the roosting board is adapted to be closed by the swinging door 14: movable about a horizontal axis 15 adjacent its upper end and thenpper portion of said door is provided with the inwardly disposed eye member 16 to aliord an operative connection Wl Ch the linlr 1'! also opcratively cngaged, asindiceted at 18, with the arm 19 carried by theiloor 6 and extending exteriorly of the nest wh reby it will be per eeived that with the exit end of the floor 6 elevated the door 1% is also elevated or in open adjustment and vice yersa. It will be perceived that when the hen jumps from the roosting member 3 upon the floor (3, the exit" end of the floor will be depressed and the door 14: niov d into closed adjustment and said floor is automatically loci-:ed in its -depressed adjustment by the cam member 20 rotatably supper tee; by the beam 5 and adapted to bear again t the'adgacent end of the floor 6, as is partied 'ly shown in detail Fig. 5. e is also to be observed in this figure that'tlie Wear plate 21 preferably employed wi h its outer surface serrated, as is the periphery of the cam :20.

The earn 20 is provided h the tail 22 extending exteriorly of the nest and with *WlliCll pivotally engaged extremity ot the rod 223, the o oosi'te extremity of which being provided 1th the elongated loop through which is extended pro ection extending laterally from the swinging door door will be readily perceived that the loop permits a 7 limited independent movement of the door 26, but upon its elev tion duringtne exit of the hen the cam 20 through the medium of the rod will be disengaged from the floor 8 whereby the same may return to its normal position under the tension of the spring 7.

Depending Irom the beam 5 is a vertical member 98 with which s slidabiv engaged for ertical movemenh the arm 29, the upper extremity of which being provided \Ylijll V the gravity pawl adapted to overlie the lower marnnal' OOIUOD oi the door :26 and maintain the same in closed ad ustment. Depending from the floor 6 adjacent ts rotative axis and in alinenient with the vertical member 28 is plate 31 and rotatably supports l by saie plate 31 and Vertical memleer 28 is a reel: sha 'o the outer extremity of which being provided W th a crank 33 extending Within the open end recess 3% dised to the shalt 313, the ten-- sion of said spring being such as to normally n'iaintain the arm 25) at the limit of its upward movement so that the gravity pau'l may operatirely engage the lower marginal portion of the door 26 upon its return after the hen has left the nest. The upper surface of the floor (3 is suitably relllCilCt ted at in 6, for a purpose W ch is believed to be clearly apparent t those shill-ed in the art to which my invention upped-nine, and at substantially its a i center the floor 6 is provided with the opening 20 through which the egg is adapted drop, said o cning being defined the depending flange ll to which is suitsaid chute having one side portion of lower or free extreinity cr -awayr a to permit said chute to be interscc ed my the rock arm i l carried by the 't 32 wher by it will be perceived that a 10 egg Falls through the chute 4-73, the sha' 3 32 will be so rocked as to more tie arm dou'nuari'lly and thus permit the hen to escape as the door 2'13 may e readily ra sml o 1 no; upwardly by the hen. In that the door 26 n 1 0 ii a. predetermined distance '31) is disengaged therefrom, upper marginal DO "th (no inwardly dii posed eye n w l ative conuectio downwardly an 1. exit end of the ting; indicated do d lines in 6. The lower extremity of s id rod 46 is provided with t head with which contacts the lower e: 'remity of the coil spring; -29 embracing the rod he and adapted to ed to raise the door to release the cam V ed or pl cod finder tension unon (ill as is particularly shown at 52 in Fig. 6, and it is to be observed that the flexible connection 51 is of such a length as to permit the nest egg 50 to partially overlie the opening l0 so that said opening may not serve to deter the hen from entering the nest. Rota tably supported by the base plate or member l is the receptacle 53 of predetern'iined configuration and provided with the yieldable lining 54: to prevent injury of the dropped within the container through the opening 40 and operatively engaged as at 55, with the vertically disposed supporting shaft 56 of the container 53 is the shaft 57 disposed in parallelism with the base plate or member 1 and having operatively engaged with its outer extremity the ratchet crank 58 with which is pivotally engaged the rod 59 also pivotally engaged, as at (50, with the entrance end of the floor 6 whereby it will be readily perceived that the con tainer 53 will be intermittently rotated under the influence of the oscillations of the floor 6.

In view of the foregoing, it will be readily seen that as the hen jumps upon the floor 6, the said iioor will be depressed resulting in the closing of the door let, and the hen will be confined therein until the door 26 is released by the dropping of an egg through the opening 40. AS the hen escapes, the door 26 is elevated whereupon the cam is disengaged from the floor 6 whereby the same will return to its normal or elevated position under the tension of the spring 7 and return the door 1% to an open position. After the hen has left the nest, the door 26 will return by gravity to its closed position and being maintained in such closed position by the pawl 30. The manner whereby the egg is caused to disengage the pawl from the door 26 when in closed position and whereby said door 26 is caused to assume a partially open position, has been hereinbefore set forth in de tail.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a trap nest constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well. adapted for use by reason ofthe convenience and facility with which 'it may be assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise an rangemcnt and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice.

I claim:

1. A nest of the character described comprising a housing provided with an entrance opening and an eiiit opening, a depressible floor positioned within the housing, a closure for the entrance opening, an operative connection. between the floor and said closure whereby the closure is adjusted into closed position upon depression of the floor, automatic means for maintaining the floor in its depressed adjustment, a closure member for the exit opening of the housing, and means controlled by the last named closure memher for releasing the automatic means.

:2. A nest of the character described co1nprising a housin provided with an entrance opening and an exit opening, a depressible floor positioned within the housing, a closure for the entrance opening, an operative con nection between the door and said closure whereby the closure is adjusted into closed position upon depression of the floor, automatic means for maintaining the floor in its depressed adjustment, a closure member for the exit opening of the housing, and means controlled by the last named closure member for releasing the automatic means, said last named closure being capable of movement independently of the means coacting therewith for releasing the automatic means.

3. A nest of the character described comprising a housing provided with an exit opening, a closure for said exit opening, a depressible floor within the housing and provided with a discharge opening, means carried by the housing engageable with the floor :t' it automatically maintaining the same in its denresscd adjustment, a latch for maintaining the closure member in closed position, means controlled by an egg dropped through the discharge opening of the floor for releasing the latch, and means coacting with the movable floor and the closure member for imparting initial movement thereto into an open position.

4. [a nest of the character described com prising a housing provided with an exit opening, a closure for said exit opening, a tlEPI'GSSllDlG floor within the housing and provided with a discharge opening, means carried by the housing; engageable with the floor for automatically maintaining the same in its depressed adjustment, a latch for maintaining the closure member in closed position, means controlled by an egg dropped through the discharge opening of the floor for releasing the latch, means coacting with the movable floor and the closure member for imparting initial movement thereto into an open position, and means operable upon further movement of the closure member in opening adjustment to release the automatic means for maintaining the floor in depressed adjustment.

5. A nest of the character described comprising a housing provided with an exit opening, a depressible floor positioned withfor maintaining the closure member in v closed adjustment, means for releasing the latch, a rod operatively engaged With the closure member and terminating below the depressiblefioor, and an eXpansible-member carried 'by the rod engageable with the under surface of the depressible floor, said Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

expansible member being placed under tension upon depression of the floor and serving to impart initial movement to the 010- sure member upon release.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL L. DENNEY.

Witnesses:

MILTON C. PYLns, MARY E. BAILY.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

